Filling the 7 year gap and what happened after
by stilldaydreaming
Summary: Basically what happened to Link when he went home to the dark years and the man he became. New chapter up!
1. Chapter 1

This story takes place at the end of Ocarina of Time.

"Link, I will send you back to your own time." Zelda said softly as she took back the Ocarina of time. The Princess of Hyrule looked at the Hero of Time sadly, but she was not the only one looking at him. A woman with red hair and blue eyes watched the scene. She stared into the young man's eyes, as if desperately looking for something within. As if she couldn't find what she was searching for, the woman sagged against the remains of a pillar, all happiness erased from her visage as the first notes on the ocarina sounded. There was no need to intrude on this farewell. Playing sadly, Zelda watched as the Hero of Time dissolved in a column of blue light. The Princess bowed her head, tears trickling down her tired face. The red haired woman moved forward.

"Princess..." Jay started.

"I know." Zelda replied to her friend and ally. It had to be done; he had to live his own life. Though he had saved Hyrule, what was the Hero of Time but a boy trapped within a man's body? The enemy was finally defeated, messages needed to be sent, but neither women wished to face the Re-dead in the market place just yet. The pair sat down on the edge of the ruins. Jay looked up to the sky, the air above Death Mountain was normal; the air around the ruins would soon be clean.

Zelda brushed away her tears; Jay knew they had been friends.

Turning her face away, Jay wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

_A young boy, almost a man, made his was from the forest. His face wore a scowl, he fists clenched. He was sick of this. He wanted to _help. _Why should he remain in hiding? For _seven _long years? How could he watch his world go to ruin, as the people hoped for a hero that wasn't come for another six years?_

_It had been one year since Link had returned home, one year since that _strange _journey into Termina. It had been great to see Saria again; she was the only one he had trusted with the truth. Well, part of the truth. But now he had no home. Soon, it would become apparent that Link was not a kokiri- and Navi was still missing. Link felt helpless, he had returned to his own time, right after when he first left. Zelda was in hiding, the royal family was dead, Ganondorf was gaining power and fear and uncertainty were sweeping Hyrule. Link clenched his fists; his greatest desire was to kill Ganondorf _now, _before people died. But he could not. Link was not strong enough; and he feared disrupting the time line. Everything had to be in order for _that _day, that day in six years. Link thanked the goddesses that a few precious items had remained with him on his journey to his own time. The tunics, a few of his weapons, though he had collected a few in Termina. Along with the Ocarina of Time and his beloved Epona, Link could keep an eye on things, history. But how could he live-_

"_Oof!" another figure collided with Link. It was a girl, about his age, her red hair covered most of her face, but what he could see was a mask of fear._

"_They're coming!" She cried, not recognising Link as she readied a small bow in her hands. Link looked around wildly, drawing his own fairy bow. Sure enough, a small group of bandits was racing towards them, swords unsheathed and yelling wildly. Looking further back, Link could see the pillar of smoke streaming from what had been a peaceful village. The girl wiped her grimy face clean, before selecting some arrows and aiming at the charging bandits. _

Of course, the bandits weren't about to let some pretty little girl get away.

_Determinedly, the girl shot arrow after arrow at the bandits, but they had armour, and they were charging on horses. One man went down, then another. But this just angered the remaining bandits further. Link pushed the girl out of the way and ran at the nearest bandit with his sword. He never saw the girl run to fight alongside him. They had killed her family, she told him as she bandaged his wounds later._

_Although he couldn't tell her this, the dark years were only just beginning._

Jay surreptitiously wiped her now streaming eyes. Luckily, Zelda seemed too distracted to notice.

"You know, he snuck past all my guards, just to see me, when we were young." Zelda said softly with a sad smile on her face. Jay smiled too, she had heard this story many times, it had comforted the friends when their spirits were low after many a mission for the rebellion.

"He visited again, just to tell me that things were going to be alright. He spent a few days with me, and I gave him the ocarina." Zelda's hands caressed the smooth surface of the Ocarina of time. The ruins of the black tower smouldered in the distance, darkening the sky around it.

"We had best be moving Zelda." Jay said thickly, standing offering her hand to the Princess. "Are you strong enough? Our allies will be waiting." Zelda smiled at her old friend, allowing herself to be hauled up. Jay drew her sword and Zelda readied her Sheikah knives, neither of them wanted to fall victim to the re-dead of the old marketplace. Jay saw Zelda look at her side long.

"You would have liked him." The Princess said softly. Jay had always refused to meet the Hero of time. She had seen him once, which was enough. Jay had always been busy with numerous missions; sabotage, spying, anything to hurt Ganondorf and his reign. She had seen the Hero once. That was enough. He wasn't the man she wanted. Jay looked at Zelda,

"I know."


	2. Chapter 2

Hi to anyone who has read this, and the one review I have recieved so far! (thankyou) These little excerpts span over two years. The next post will be more detailed- promise!

This is just going to be stories of Links past, any ideas are of course welcome!

I do not own Link, or any characters from legend of Zelda. I _do _own Jay- hands off. XD

_Two horses thundered over the fields, a red horse with a white mane was in the lead, followed closely be a yellow horse with a jet black mane and tail. As if passing the large pine was a signal, both riders and their horses came to a stop, the riders jumping of to tend to their horses. _

"_You beat me again!" The red haired girl complained jokingly. The boy with blond hair smiled, he never got tired of thrashing his friend in races. The girl smiled in reply, _

"_It _is _my birthday, you know!" Jay put her hands on her hips, poking her tongue out at Link._

"_Yes, it is." Link replied with mock seriousness. "14 is an important age. You are becoming an adult." Link laughed and patted Jay's head, she had yet to reach his height. "So you must learn to accept defeat!" Jay pretended to pout a little longer, before attending to her horse Nyda while Link looked after Epona._

_The horses munched on some grass as the pair lay in front of the small fire. They were well out of the way of raiding parties, but it never hurt to be careful. Jay stared into the flickering flames, a contemplative look on her face._

"_You know," she began. "We've been together for almost a year." Link sat up, her knew Jay was thinking of her parents, and the guilt she still felt._

"_You saved my life that day." Link reminded his friend. She had saved his life many times afterward, too. They made a good team._

"_I know. I just...don't you think we could do more, if we could just find the resistance?" Jay looked up, her shining grey/blue eyes reflecting the golden light of the flame. Link shifted uncomfortably, not just because he could see each perfectly shaped eyelash from where he was sitting, but because Jay had spoken about this before. _

"_I suppose..." Link said in a non-committal tone. He had told Jay about some of his travels through time, but she didn't seem to understand his fear of somehow altering history. Seeing his lack of enthusiasm towards the subject, Jay let it drop._

"_Night." She rolled over and soon fell asleep. Link caught himself staring at the curve of her waist- he turned away and was asleep in minutes. _

"_Link!" Jay called out excitedly as she arrived back at their makeshift camp. Link looked up from his ocarina, he had been playing it most nights once Jay realised his talent. _

"_I found the contact!" Link's stomach lurched. When they had first joined up together, Link and Jay had spent their time travelling from community to community, helping whoever they met and fighting any enemies (and each other sometimes) they came across. But lately Jay had been obsessed with the underground rebellion and joining them. Who would be better than they, she had argued when Link expressed his reluctance. Link had told Jay of his story- part of it and why he couldn't change the timeline- but at 15 Jay was impatient and eager to fight. _

"_He's going to meet us tomorrow at the tavern! I can't believe we finally found him!" Jay stopped abruptly when she saw Link's face._

"_You don't want to do this?" Jay's face darkened. "I can't believe you don't want to do this!" She cried._

"_I can't change the timeline." Link said. "I have to be careful."_

"_Careful! I call it cowardly!" Jay exclaimed angrily. "You have to live your own life! You have done the task you were sent to do, why can't you do this now? Why can't you find your own destiny? Why?!" Link looked at his hands. Part of him really wanted to do this, but he was afraid. What if he changed something? What if he ruined _everything_? Part of Link believed he would die when his past self came to defeat Ganondorf- how could one person exist in two places at once? Jay looked at Link impassively, he was shocked to see that her face was devoid of emotion, as if made of stone, when she spoke, her voice was calm. _

"_Do what you will Link. I have always cared for you and enjoyed our friendship. But I find you now weak and cowardly; I go to join the resistance." Link's heart gave a wrench as he realised Jay had made up her mind already, perhaps weeks ago. There was no changing her mind, no matter how much he didn't want her to leave. Jay picked up her bags. Which Link saw were already packed. She bent over, and kissed him lightly on the cheek, sending a thrill of energy through his body. Link's fingers twitched, he was aching to pull her back, to beg her to stay, stay with him. But he knew she wouldn't listen. Even if he did love her._

"_Goodbye Link."_


End file.
